REPORTS ON PACIFIC AFFAIRS, 1965 THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1965 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, INSULAR AFFAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to recess, at 10:05 a.m., in room 1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Leo W. O'Brien (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. O'BRIEN (presiding). The Subcommittee on Territorial and Insular Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs will be in order. The business regularly scheduled today, which I think is most interesting, is to receive a report from some of our distinguished colleagues and staff who have attended the first joint session of the historic new Congress of Micronesia. I would like to say at the outset, and I am sure I speak for the rest of us, that we are grateful, very grateful to Mr. Morton and Mr. Craley and to the staff for making the most difficult journey to enable us through their eyes and ears to realize what is going on in that faraway place. Also, to indicate the interest of the committee in the problem of those places I would like to read first, if I may, a letter addressed to the distinguished chairman of the full committee, Mr. Aspinall, and signed by our colleague, Mr. Morton. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In addition to the report of August 4, 1965, submitted in connection with Mr. Craley's and my attendance at the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the work of Mr. Charles Leppert, Jr., of our committee staff. He was attentive, alert and helpful in every way. He was proficient in his assistance and thorough in his efforts to learn as much as possible in the very limited time about the problems and operations of the Trust Territory of the Pacific. We are very grateful to have that letter and very happy to have it read in the presence of Mr. Leppert. I think before hearing from the members of the committee who went there, it would be desirable to have the report on the attendance of the first joint meeting of the Congress of Micronesia read by Mr. Leppert to the committee. Mr. O'BRIEN. Mr. Leppert. Mr. LEPPERT. Mr. Chairman, this is the report on the attendance at the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia dated August 4, 1965, to the Honorable Wayne N. Aspinall, chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. Material submitted-Continued Maps: Showing area of South Pacific Commission. A. R. No. 1 relating to expression of sentiments of the Congress of Micronesia upon the occasion of its inaugural meeting-- A. R. No. 2 relating to the expression of appreciation to the High Commissioner and the residents of the island of Saipan _ _ _ A. R. No. 3, relating to expression of sentiments of the Congress of Micronesia upon the occasion of its inaugural meeting-- A. R. No. 4, relating to acknowledgment of the contributions of the South Pacific Commission-Sixth South Pacific Conference resolu- Associated Press interview of Senator Fong and comments as they Governor Guerrero of Guam address to Guam Chamber of Com- Resolution No. 6-1965 introduced by Hon. Daniel T. Muna, Saipan Senator Fong interview with correspondent of Guam Daily News on Senator Fong (Hawaii) resolution (S. Con. Res. 50) on August 18, 1965, regarding proposal to include the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands within the boundaries of the State of Hawaii__. Summary of the seminar of students of the College of Guam from the 99 REPORTS ON PACIFIC AFFAIRS, 1965 THURSDAY, AUGUST 5, 1965 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, INSULAR AFFAIRS OF THE COMMITTEE ON INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to recess, at 10:05 a.m., in room 1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Leo W. O'Brien (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Mr. O'BRIEN (presiding). The Subcommittee on Territorial and Insular Affairs of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs will be in order. The business regularly scheduled today, which I think is most interesting, is to receive a report from some of our distinguished colleagues and staff who have attended the first joint session of the historic new Congress of Micronesia. I would like to say at the outset, and I am sure I speak for the rest of us, that we are grateful, very grateful to Mr. Morton and Mr. Craley and to the staff for making the most difficult journey to enable us through their eyes and ears to realize what is going on in that faraway place. Also, to indicate the interest of the committee in the problem of those places I would like to read first, if I may, a letter addressed to the distinguished chairman of the full committee, Mr. Aspinall, and signed by our colleague, Mr. Morton. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In addition to the report of August 4, 1965, submitted in connection with Mr. Craley's and my attendance at the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia, I would like to take this opportunity to commend the work of Mr. Charles Leppert, Jr., of our committee staff. He was attentive, alert and helpful in every way. He was proficient in his assistance and thorough in his efforts to learn as much as possible in the very limited time about the problems and operations of the Trust Territory of the Pacific. We are very grateful to have that letter and very happy to have it read in the presence of Mr. Leppert. I think before hearing from the members of the committee who went there, it would be desirable to have the report on the attendance of the first joint meeting of the Congress of Micronesia read by Mr. Leppert to the committee. Mr. O'BRIEN. Mr. Leppert. Mr. LEPPERT. Mr. Chairman, this is the report on the attendance) at the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia dated August 4, 1965, to the Honorable Wayne N. Aspinall, chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Pursuant to the invitation of High Commissioner M. W. Goding, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and your authorization and direction, we attended the convocation and first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia on July 12, 1965, in Saipan, Mariana Islands. We were joined and accompanied by the distinguished Under Secretary of the Interior, John A. Carver, Jr. Also in attendance was Charles Leppert, Jr., assistant counsel of the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee staff. Mr. Chairman, it was indeed an honor to attend and address the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia. The convocation of this territorywide legislature was an event of momentous and historical significance. It began, Mr. Chairman, another chapter in the history of the world. It marks the first time in the long history of the people of Micronesia that popularly elected representatives of the people will exercise the significant powers in a new first step toward self-government. Having stated the significance of this occasion, and knowing the interest of the U.S. Congress and the House Interior and Insular Affairs Committee therein, we submit herewith the following report: "BACKGROUND "In accordance with the trusteeship agreement between the United States and United Nations Security Council dated July 18, 1947, article 6: the United States, and the trust territory administration through the Secretary of the Interior, is charged with actively fostering and promoting political development of the trust territory toward self-government or independence. "An order authorizing the organization and establishment of the Congress of Micronesia was issued September 28, 1964, order No. 2882, by the Secretary of the Interior, Stewart L. Udall. This order grants broad general legislative power, including the power to levy taxes. Other important features of the Secretary's order provide that legislation twice vetoed by the High Commissioner of the trust territory be referred to the Secretary of the Interior for further action, and a provision for the Congress to participate in preparation of the annual budget of the trust territory before its submission to the U.S. Congress. "Pursuant to this order, the people of Micronesia, on January 19, 1965, cast ballots to send their representative to the newly created Congress of Micronesia. In this election, voting participation by eligible registered voters was high. Approximately 36,000 eligible voters, of a total population of 88,000, cast their ballots. Two representatives from each of the 6 territorial districts were elected at large to the 12 seats in the house of delegates. Election to the 21 seats in the general assembly is on the basis of population, there being 4 members each from the Marshalls and Ponape districts, three members from the Marianas and Palau districts, five from the Truk district, and two from the Yap district. All the members of the new congress are Micronesians and each administrative district of the trust territory is represented. "This new congress has legislative jurisdiction over one of the largest water areas of the world; nearly 3 million square miles in the western Pacific Ocean, encompassing over 2,100 islands of which the combined land area totals only 700 square miles. The regular annual sessions for the congress will run 30 days with a provision for special sessions to be on the call of the High Commissioner. "Prior to the convening of the congress, a legislative workshop was conducted for organizational purposes, instructions on the rules of each body, and parliamentary procedures. Participating and assisting the members in the legislative workshop were members of the Institute of Technical Interchange of the EastWest Center, Hawaii, including Dr. Y. Baron Goto, vice chancellor of the EastWest Center, Dr. Norman Meller, professor of political science of the University of Hawaii, and Thomas P. Gill, director of the Hawaii State Office of Economic Opportunity. "THE CONVOCATION "The first joint session of the newly created Congress of Micronesia was held on July 12, 1965, in the Capital Hill Theater, Saipan, Marianas Islands. "Upon formal seating of the members of the Congress of Micronesia and invocation, the speaker of the general assembly, the Honorable Dwight Heine, called the session to order at approximately 2 p.m., and officially opened the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia. "An opening statement was made by the speaker of the general assembly followed by the remarks of the Honorable John A. Carver, Jr., Under Secretary of the Interior. Greetings were extended to the members of the Congress of Micronesia by the Honorable N. Neiman Craley, Jr., and the Honorable Rogers C. B. Morton, of the U.S. House of Representatives. A message on the state of the trust territory was delivered by the High Commissioner, the Honorable M. Wilfred Goding. Concluding remarks were made by the president of the house of delegates, the Honorable John Ngiraked. "Thereafter, congratulatory messages and resolutions were read by the speaker, followed by the benediction and adjournment. "ACKNOWLEDGMENTS "Before concluding this report, we think it appropriate to acknowledge some observations which in our judgment warrant their dissemination. "First, we congratulate the Honorable M. W. Goding, High Commissioner of the trust territory, and his staff for the excellent manner in which they have actively fostered and promoted the political development of the trust territory. In our judgment, the Congress of Micronesia was given impetus and birth through the cooperative efforts of the people of Micronesia and the office of the High Commissioner. "Furthermore, we wish to acknowledge the excellent leadership and administration of the Honorable M. W. Goding, on the status of the Trust Territory of the Pacific. It is our judgment that the leadership and administrative abilities of High Commissioner Goding have directly contributed to the progress of the Trust Territory of the Pacific in advancing the economic, social, and political life of its people. "Secondly, we also acknowledge the support and encouragement extended by the people of Micronesia to the administration of the trust territory by their willing acceptance of policies and programs to foster and advance their standard of living through democratic institutions. "Third, we wish to acknowledge the spirit and enthusiasm of the newly elected members of the Congress of Micronesia in this new legislative undertaking. These traits, we believe, will bring judicious deliberation of the issues coming before the congress and be resolved in the spirit of compromise. "Lastly, we wish to state that the authorization and establishment of the Congress of Micronesia is another example of the inspiring zeal and seriousness of approach toward self-government which is now characteristic of the South Pacific Islands, and which, in our judgment, expresses the changing profile of the Pacific." Sincerely yours, N. NEIMAN CRALEY, Jr., NOTE. The following enclosures to the original letter are being placed in the record of hearings: Appendix. Amendments to order No. 2882. Map of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Program of the first joint session of the Congress of Micronesia. Remarks of: Hon. John E. Carver, Jr., Hon. N. Neiman Craley, Hon. Rogers C. B. Morton, Hon. M. W. Goding. A general assembly resolution. Congratulatory messages to the Congress of Micronesia. Official rules of procedure of the House of Delegates, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Official Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Mr. Chairman, I have along with the report of Mr. Craley and Mr. Morton the speeches made by Mr. Carver, Mr. Craley, and Mr. Morton and High Commissioner Goding on his status of the trust territory along with the opening remarks of Hon. Dwight Heine and concluding remarks of Hon. John O. Ngirakad, the order of the secretary, the amendments thereto, the congratulatory messages and resolution of the Congress, along with the official rules of procedure of the house of delegates and general assembly. |